Overview

The amount of available memory needed to use the Code42 CrashPlan app increases with the size of your archive or backup file selection. If your backup selection exceeds 1 TB of storage or 1 million files, increase the maximum amount of memory the CrashPlan app is allowed to use by following the steps below.

Alternatively, if your device has memory limitations, you can adjust several CrashPlan settings to reduce the amount of memory required for your backup.

Affects

Considerations

This article assumes you have the ability to edit your backup settings. Your administrator may prevent editing of these settings.

Additional memory considerations:

CrashPlan uses memory up to the maximum allotted. The maximum is used only if it is needed.

Code42 typically recommends allocating 1 GB (1024 MB) of memory per 1 TB of storage (or per 1 million files). Although CrashPlan only requires approximately 600 MB of memory per 1 TB of storage (or per 1 million files), our recommendation is intended to account for growth in your file selection.

If you uninstall and reinstall the CrashPlan app after increasing allocated memory, the setting will revert back to the default value of 1024 MB.

Sample recommendations

Backup Selection Size

Recommended Memory Allocation (MB)

Up to 1 TB or up to 1 million files

1024 (default)

1.5 TB or 1.5 million files

1536

2 TB or 2 million files

2048

2.5 TB or 2.5 million files

2560

3 TB or 3 million files

3072

Memory limitations

You should not allocate more memory to CrashPlan than the maximum supported by your device. For example, if your device has 8 GB of RAM, you shouldn’t allocate more than 8 GB (8192 MB) to CrashPlan.

Windows 32-bit operating systems On devices running a 32-bit Windows operating system, programs are limited to a maximum of 2 GB of RAM. After accounting for other resources required by your system, this limits CrashPlan's maximum memory allocation to approximately 1200-1500 MB. If you are running a 32-bit operating system, we recommend allocating a maximum of 1536 MB of memory to CrashPlan. Alternatively, you can remove files from your backup selection to reduce the size of your backup archive.

Recommended solution

You can use the CrashPlan app's manual commands to increase the default memory from 1024 MB to a maximum that supports your archive size. This solution applies to:

Enter the following command, using a value appropriate for the size of your backup selection (for example, 1536 for a 1.5 TB selection):java mx 1536, restartThe CrashPlan app closes.

Open the CrashPlan app and sign in.

Alternative solution

CrashPlan only uses the maximum memory alloted if it is needed. However, if the maximum memory supported by your device does not accommodate the size of your backup file selection, there are several alternative ways to reduce memory usage.

Remove system and application files from your backup selection

CrashPlan is designed to back up user files (photos, documents, etc.). It is not designed to back up your operating system or application files. When system and application files are included in your backup file selection, CrashPlan expends additional resources, like memory, backing up these files. Review our guidelines for choosing what to back up for additional information.

Reduce CPU allocated to CrashPlan

You can control the CPU CrashPlan is allowed to use both when you are present (working on your device) and away. While most modern devices can support allowing CrashPlan to use a high CPU percentage without experiencing any performance issues, you may want to adjust these settings for older devices. You can adjust these settings from the CrashPlan app.

Sign in to the CrashPlan app.

From Home, click Details.

Select the arrow next to your device name.

Choose Device preferences.

Click Usage.

Reduce the percent CPU is allowed to use when the user is both away and present.

Schedule backup

Finally, if you are still experiencing performance issues related to memory, you can configure CrashPlan to back up only at specified times. However, be careful to set a schedule that allows CrashPlan to run while your device is on and not in standby mode. You can adjust your backup schedule from the CrashPlan app.

Sign in to the CrashPlan app.

Click the backup set settings button.

Next to Backup Schedule, click Change.

Select Only run between specified times.

Select the days and hours when CrashPlan is allowed to back up.

Click Save.

Reduce your file selection

If you experience issues related to CrashPlan's memory usage after adjusting the settings described above, you may need to remove files from your selection to reduce the amount of memory needed to run the CrashPlan app.